Watch CBS News

Texas A&M Sets Unity Event During White Nationalist's Speech

Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter

HOUSTON (AP) — Texas A&M University says it will hold an event to highlight diversity and unity at the same time a white nationalist is set to speak at the College Station campus in December.

The "Aggies United" event was scheduled after Richard Spencer, who leads a movement that mixes racism, white nationalism and populism, was invited to speak on Dec. 6 by a former student, who can reserve campus space available to the public.

Richard Spencer
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 19: Richard Spencer is in town for the largest white nationalist and Alt Right conference of the year in Washington, DC on November 18, 2016. Spencer, a 38-year-old Dallas native and graduate of St. Mark's School of Texas prep school, is a key intellectual leader of the alternative right, a label he coined in 2008 to describe the radical conservative movement defined by white nationalism and a fervent resistance to multiculturalism and globalism. Spencer currently resides in the resort town of Whitefish, Montana, in what was described as a "Bavarian-style mansion" in a profile in Mother Jones. He was born in Massachusetts but moved to the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas when he was about 2 years old. "It was a fairly idyllic, suburban childhood," Spencer said with a laugh. "I remember riding bikes around the neighborhood, and so on. I guess you could say I lived in a bubble to a certain extent, like a lot of the kids in that area. But it was very nice." (Photo by Linda Davidson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A&M spokeswoman Amy Smith said Wednesday the event at the university's football stadium will be a chance for the school and the community to "be unified with our disgust really for this person."

In a statement, A&M President Michael Young says Spencer won't be prevented from speaking as the school values freedom of speech.

The Anti-Defamation League said in a statement it's confident Spencer's message of bigotry will be rejected by the community.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.